Not Goodbye

Pigtails and Army Boots has been going for several years now and been on a whole bunch of stations, it's been live, it's been pre-recorded, it's been 1 hour, it's been 2 hours and of course it's been a lot of fun to do. However, recently I haven't had the same passion for it, I'm still very passionate about music, especially female music and of course the amazing unsigned and independent bands I've discovered thanks to doing the show, but my passion isn't really where it should be in regards to expressing this through radio. My real passion is for writing and I want to put more energy into that- especially as I'm hoping to become a paid music journalist as my job!

So this is to tell you, I will not be 'on air' any more- instead the show will be much more blog/writing based, still telling you about female fronted music news, awesome independent bands and all the other things you love about the show. 'Artist of the Month' will still carry on, but with a much longer, detailed blog post about the band I've chosen. I'll still post a 'weekly event guide' as well as reviews etc.

That's not to say I won't be doing any radio ever again, the Mixcloud page is still up and I may occasionally put up podcasts for you to listen to, so stay following it if you are!
This wasn't an easy decision to make, but I really feel, at least for the time being this is the best thing for me. I promise you will still get quality content from me!

I'm keeping this blog open, but I may be starting a new blog so I can put all my interests on one blog, instead of having to start a new one for each different subject I want to write about! I currently have this one, and a writing one, but I'm finding there's more I want to write about that doesn't really fit into either! I will post a link if this happens, and this will remain open so I have an archive of what I have written.

If you want to email me, about this post, or if you're in a band, that I could write about in the near future (gigs, albums, singles for review, band of the month posts etc) you can contact me on pigtailsandarmyboots@gmail.com

2012- pretty darn good year for music, and well life!

Well only 2 days left of 2012 left, so the inevitable 'end of the year' blog is here!
Music wise, I think 2012 has been a pretty decent year for music, Patti Smith released a new album 'Banga', Gaggle released their debut album 'From the Mouth of the Cave', other favourites of mine were Amanda Palmer and the Grand Theft Orchestra- Theatre is Evil, The Corin Tucker Band- Kill my Blues and Garbage- Not Your Kind of People.
here my choices of 2012 on my end of the year special here

Gigs of 2012
Wild Flag
Robots in Disguise (and this year I got to interview them too)!
Ladyfest East London
Pigtails and Army Boots the live event! (organised by me- obviously)!
Garbage
Black Belles
We Rock Like Girls Don't
Bleech
Gaggle album launch party
Patti Smith
Amanda Palmer
Trash Monroe
Lovely Eggs
Hard Rock Hell

I wrote lots more reviews, and did my first interview in person (the RID one as previously mentioned)
feminism wise, I went to Million Women Rise for the third time and London Slutwalk for the first time and finally Southend Feminist Group is running, it's only small but hopefully 2013 it will get bigger! I also tok part in a Free Pussy Riot protest near the Russian embassy and have been supporting the campaign.

Other achievements/interesting stuff from 2012:  did the Moonlight Colourthon again, started going to Pagan Moots, organised another charity gig, went to the Doctor Who Experience, helped with a beach clean up, and most importantly moved house!

I think I achieved a lot this year but in 2013, I would like to actually get paid for music journalism, to do some sort of volunteer work, to do more creative writing and finally finish editing my novel, to pass my dispensing course at work and go to even more pagan/spiritual events. I also think I should admit to my mistakes more!
How was your 2012?

Goodbye 2011, Hello 2012

Well I don't often write personal-ish blogs on here, but to be honest now my life is so integrated with both music and feminism, that it would be impossible not to have some personal angle on some of my blogs.

2011 was an okay year for me for the most part, I felt like I didn't have too much of a social life like I used to, and my best friend moved to another country, BUT I did have much more involvement with music and feminist politics and not just through my radio show.

I started doing lots of writing for music blogs including Wears The Trousers, thegirlsare, JoyZine, The F Word and also for the Le Monnier Fan Blog which resulted in lots of good writing practice as well as quite a bit of free music and a couple of free gigs!

I tried to set up my own feminist group but didn't have much luck

I saw MEN at the Lexington in Feburary

I released the first two issues of my zine 'Dancing Barefoot'

In March, I went to my second Million Women Rise March this time as a steward, also the first protest I went to alone.
I also went to see The Australian Pink Floyd and on the same day I met Dee Plume, of one of my favourite bands Robots in Disguise!

I went to my first Roller Derby bout, and I loved it!

I went to see Robots in Disguise (for the third time) in May and possibly one of my favourite gigs ever, as I was right at the front, I headbanged with Dee and managed to nab their set list :D

I organised and put on Ladyfest Essex, which was really exhausting and had lots of problems, but was a fun and satisfying thing to do. Sadly it clashed with the London SlutWalk although I did help them get a band to play at the event and then booked one of their books for their fundraiser in November.

For my 27th Birthday in June, I went to the British Music Experience and went to my first zine fest

In August I went to the Ladygarden fundraiser in Cambridge and discovered lots of awesome bands including We Rock Like Girls Don't

September was an active month, I saw Amanda Palmer for the third time, this time at Heaven (see the Joyzine link earlier in this post) I did the Adidas 5k Women's Challenge, (walking) and raised a further £100 for Refuge in addition to the £130 raised from Ladyfest Essex
I also saw Saint Jude and UT in this month

November was a very feminist month, as I went to FEM11 my first feminist conference and also to the Fawcett Society Don't Turn Back Time March, and then met Josie Long afterwards!

The final gig of the year was Gaggle, review to come soon on The F Word!

Lots of other things happened too-like finally having a tooth taken out, and having my xbox hacked...
but now it's gone and it's time to look forward to 2012, here is my resolutions for 2012:
To Start or Join a Feminist Group
To Volunteer at a women's shelter
to do more interviews on my show
to jog in the adidias 5k
organise another ladyfest/other charity events
-this is just a few, I have others but these are probably the most relevant to put here.
Happy New Year!

30 day song challenge- part 1

I did this a while ago on Facebook, but as I'm not longer really using it, and not everyone that reads this blog would have seen it, and I'll pick different things this time (and all female fronted this time) so here's part 1

Day 1: My Favourite Song


Day 2: My Least Favourite Song - words can;t describe how angry this song makes me


Day 3: A Song that Makes Me Happy

The Soundtrack To My Life

Recently one of my friends on Facebook made a group on there called 'The Soundtrack of My Life' as a space where he could post up music from his life, and others could share their memories too. I do wonder though whether everyone is telling the complete truth about what they listened to as children, as it's all so cool- Johnny Cash, X Ray Spex, Nirvana etc etc and not one embarrassing song on there, my childhood listening wasn't like that! My music taste didn't really get good until I hit 16, so I went ahead and posted my memories of songs that I used to like, and mine are the only embarrassing ones admitted so far!
Anyway, I thought it would be fun to post (or torment)? the songs of my life into a blog post, so you can enjoy/endure too!

Madonna! no real Madonna videos allow embedding, so this is just the song really. I always say I was probably listening to Madonna in the womb, as I grew up with her music from a baby and still like most of her music (not the last few years though- everything since Ray of Light sucked)!


Kylie! I remember having a record player and playing her albums on it, and even dressing one of my barbie dolls to look like her!



Spice Girls! First band I got REALLY into. My favourite was Geri, I was very sad when she left! They were my first ever gig



The Offspring- the first rock band I got into, my first rock gig as well. I will never tire of them and 'Smash' will always hold special memories for me!



Greenday soon followed suit..



Before I had my 'Ozzy/Black Sabbath' phase..


Led Zep


Bikini Kill, the first riot grrrl song I ever heard..


and of course, bringing you bang up to date with these last few (though I could post so much more)